Binding device with contracting segments having radius smaller than rod engaged thereby



3,058,386 M N S HAVING ED REBY 2 Sheets-Sheet l Oct. 16, 1962 E, MORR BlNDING DEVICE WITH CONTRAC RADIUS SMALLER THAN RO Filed Sept. 25, 1957 INVENTOR. I EARLE L. MORROW BY Oct. 16, 1962 E. MORROW 3,058,386

BINDING DEVICE WITH CONTRACTING SEGMENTS HAVING RADIUS s LLER THAN ROD ENGAGED THEREBY INVENTOR. EARLE L. MORROW BY wkfima,

Patented Oct. 16, 1962 ice 3,058,386 BINDING DEVICE WITH CONTRACTING SEG- MENTS HAVING RADIUS SMALLER THAN ROD ENGAGED THEREBY Earle L. Morrow, Warwick, RI. Filed Sept. 25, B57, Ser. No. 686,221 Claims. (CI. 85-36) This invention relates to a. binding device effective to engage and grip the exterior surface of a generally cylindrical member.

One of the objects of the invention is the provision of a binding device which will grip a smooth surface of a rod or a tube and remain fixed thereon.

Another object of the invention is to provide an abutment or shoulder, circular or otherwise, about the smooth surface of a rod or a tube without resorting to conventional male and female threaded elements.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a device of the above general character which is of simple construction and which is readily operable.

A binding device embracing certain features of the present invention may comprise a structural element having a generally cylindrical exterior surface, a rigid member having a tapered bore slidably receiving the element, a collar formed of a harder material than that from which the structural element is formed surrounding the element and having an external taper engaging the bore of the rigid member, said collar comprising at least two arcuate sections, each said section extending circumferentially about the structural element through an are greater than 75, the inner surface of said sections having a radius less than the radius of the structural element, said inner surface being formed with a plurality of arcuate serrations terminating at opposite ends of the section, the point of termination of said serrations defining a plurality of sharp protuberances, said sharp protuberances contacting the structural element along two angularly spaced rows causing an intermediate portion of each section to be radially spaced from the element whereby relative movement between the collar sections and said member is operable to drive said points into the rod.

The invention also relates to a novel method for fixing a rod or tube to an apertured member such as a plate, nut, sleeve, bushing or the like.

A process utilizing the principles of the present invention may include the steps of providing an apertured member adapted to receive a cylindrical bar or tube, disposing an arcuate, serrated wedge member between the bar and the apertured member so that all elements are arranged in a generally coaxial fashion, moving the wedge member relative to the apertured member to develop a force component which tends to drive the wedge radially inward with respect to the bar and into gripping relationship therewith.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the succeeding specification when read in conjunction wtth the appended drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a pair of plates secured to a rod by means of the binding device of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of one of the binding devices of FIG. 1 showing the relative position of the elements thereof when first assembled upon a rod;

FIG. 3 is a showing similar to FIG. 2 illustrating the disposition of the binding device elements after the occurrence of relative motion between mating tapered surfaces of the device;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view through the binding device and the rod in assembly as viewed in the plane of the line 4-4 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a view of a portion of the showing of FIG. 4, somewhat enlarged, illustrating means for preventing relative rotation between certain elements of the binding device;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a section of the binding collar;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view of the binding device illustr-ating a retaining ring at the upper end of the collar;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view of the binding device shown gripping a rod;

FIG. 9 is a transverse sectional view of an assembled binding device showing keys for preventing relative rotation between the collar and the sleeve;

FIGS. 10 and 11 are force diagrams, and;

FIG. 12 shows a pair of wedge sections comprising a collar joined or hinged by a web.

In accordance with the present invention a sleeve or rigid member is provided having a bore slidably receiving a rod. One end of the bore flares outwardly defining a frustro conical surface for receiving a split or hinged, sectional collar. The exterior surface of the collar is tapered to mate with the corresponding conical surface of the sleeve. The interior surface of the collar is formed with a plurality of serrations defining arcuate grooves and lands. The lands are sharp and in cross section define knife edges operative to grip the rod circumferentially. The grooves and lands may be formed with a lead to define an interrupted thread (the thread is interrupted be cause the collar is formed in sections having gaps therebetween).

For convenience, the several sections of the collar may be hinged by a web of metal connecting at least one pair of adjacent ends of the collar as shown in FIG. 12.

The upper end of the sleeve may be formed with a variety of retaining means such as an inwardly turned rim so as to prevent axial movement of the tapered collar with respect to the sleeve.

When the binding device of the present invention is assembled about a cylindrical rod and the collar serrations are formed with a lead, the assembled device can be advanced or backed off along the longitudinal axis of the smooth rod in the fashion of a self-threading nut. In other words, when the serrations are formed with a lead, the assembled binding device will mill threads as it is rota-ted with respect to a rod upon which it is mounted as shown in FIG. 1.

Referring now to the drawings, the reference numeral 10 designates a smooth cylindrical rod received through a pair of structural elements or plates 11 and 12. A bindind device, indicated generally by the reference numeral 14, is shown mounted upon the rod at opposite ends of the plates 11 and 12 so as to be operable to bind the plates together and to the rod.

Each of the binding devices includes a sleeve 15 having an internally tapered bore cooperating with a corresponding exterior taper formed on a pair of wedge sections 20-20 defining a collar indicated generally by the reference numeral 19. The upper surface of the sleeve terminates in a rim portion 18 (FIG. 2) adapted to be turned inwardly to retain the collar as shown in FIG. 1.

The inner surface of each wedge section is formed with a plurality of arcuate serrations as at 23.

The serrations extend throughout the interior arcuate surface of the wedge sections and, in general, define a plurality of arcuate knife edges or lands and corresponding grooves adapted to create an impression upon the rod 10. In order to preclude relative rotation between an assembled collar and sleeve, each section thereof may be provided with a lip 24 as shown in FIG. 4 adapted to engage and cut into the collar as shown in FIG. 5.

It is to be understood that in the practice of the present invention it is desirable that the collar be formed of a harder material than the rod to facilitate the engagement of the serrations and the rod in a gripping fashion.

In order to encourage the arcuate wedge sections of the collar 19 to seize the rod 10 upon initial assembly of the binding device thereon, each arcuate section is formed with a radius which is less than the radius of the rod or other cylindrical member to which it is to be assembled (see FIG. 11). This construction causes the ends of the arcuate serrations to contact the rod along a row of sharp points where the row is defined by the terminal edges of the knife edges or lands. As is apparent in FIG. 11, the intermediate portions of the serrations are spaced away from the exterior surface of the rod. The effect of such an arrangement is to bring about an initial gripping or friction between the collar and the rod which is effective to cause the sharp points and thus, the binding device, to seize the smooth rod in trigger-like fashion. For example, if the radii of the lands and the rod were equal, the row of sharp points would not be effective and there would not be sufiicient friction to cause the serrations to contact and grip the rod. The collar would merely slide along the smooth rod.

As the wedge sections are assembled with respect to the 'rod, the row of points or protuberances at opposed ends of each section begin to abrade and grip the rod upon very slight relative motion between the mating tapered surfaces. 'As relative motion between the collar and the exterior sleeve is increased in any convenient manner, the wedge sections remain fixed with respect to the rod, and the lands or knife edges are driven into the rod until ultimately the complete length of each land is in engagement with the rod.

After the initial gripping of the collar and the rod additional relative motion between the corresponding tapered surfaces can be developed by merely holding the sleeve and striking the rod several sharp blows.

To achieve tight locking of the binding device with respect to the rod it is not necessary that all lands make full contact with the surface of the rod. It is anticipated that the radius of one knife edge may be less than that of another to effect step-by-step engagement of the lands.

Referring now to FIGS. 4 and 5, it is apparent that as relative motion occurs between the composite collar and the sleeve the lips 24 also tend to penetrate the sleeve to lock the collar and the sleeve together against relative rotation.

In some cases, the collar and sleeve may be assembled completely prior to the insertion of the rod as shown in FIG. 7 wherein a snap ring 29 is utilized to hold the collar assembled.

In other arrangements of the invention, a keyway 31 may be provided in lieu of the lips 24 to lock the collar and the sleeve against relative rotation.

Obviously, the binding device of the present invention may be utilized in a variety of ways such as in pairs (FIG. 1) to secure the plates 11 and 12 to a rod. In the arrange- .ment shown in FIG. 1, the internal serrations of the collar are formed with a lead so that upon assembly of the composite collar and sleeve with the knife edges embedded into 4 the rod and the lips 24 embedded in the sleeve 15, the binding device may be advanced axially along the rod generating threads on the rod as it moves along.

Frequently it is convenient to hinge the wedge sections by providing a Web or hinge of metal between adjacent sections as shown in FIG. 12. A particular advantage of this arrangement is the assurance that each section of a composite collar will engage the taper of the mating sleeve at the same instant to develop a uniform force component in a radially inward direction.

This application is a continuation-in-part of patent application S. N. 559,568, filed January 17, 1956, by Earle L. Morrow, and now abandoned.

It is anticipated that a variety of arrangement modifications of the present invention may be devised without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

What is claimed is:

l. A binding device comprising a rod having a cylindrical outer surface, a functionally rigid member having a bore through which said rod slidably extends, a collar of harder material than said rod surrounding said rod and having an external taper engaging said bore, said collar being formed in at least two sections, at least one section extending greater than circularly about the rod and having an arcuate inner surface of a radius less than the radius of said rod with grooves extending circularly and ending at the opposite edges of the section and forming between them a plurality of sharp points at said edges, said sharp points contacting the rod causing a portion of said section intermediate said edges to be spaced from the rod whereby as the collar is contracted by movement relative to said member, the said section points at the edges will tend to force themselves into the softer rod.

2. A binding device as in claim 1 wherein each section has points on its edge.

3. A binding device as in claim 1 wherein the member is in the form of a sleeve and its bore is tapered.

4. A binding device as in claim 1 wherein the number of sections is two and the circular extent is greater than 5. A binding device as in claim 1 wherein the grooves are a portion of a threaded surface.

6'. A binding device as in claim 1 wherein there are means to lock the collar against relative axial movement along the member toward releasing movement of the collar.

7. A binding device as in claim 1 wherein the member is softer than said collar and one of the sections has a radially outwardly extending lip along an edge thereof and the lip will force itself into the member as pressure is appliedbetween the member and the collar.

8. A binding device as set forth in claim 7 wherein each of the sections has a lip.

9. A binding device as-recited in claim 1 wherein said sections are hinged together.

10. A binding device comprising a structural element having a generally cylindrical exterior surface, a rigid member having a tapered bore for slidably receiving the element, a collar formed of a harder material than that from which the structural element is formed surrounding the element and having an external taper mating with and engaging the tapered bore of said rigid member, said collar comprising at least two arcuate sections hinged together, said hinged sections extending circumferentially about the structural element, the inner surface of each of said section having a radius less than the radius of the structural element, said inner surface being formed with a plurality of arcuate serrations terminating at opposite ends of the section, the point of termination of said serrations defining a plurality of sharp protuberances, said sharp protuberances contacting the structural element along two angularly spaced rows causing an intermediate portion of each section to be radially spaced from the element whereby relative movement between the collar 5 6 sections and said member is operable to drive said points 703,680 Vaught July 1, 1902 into the rod. 705,571 Ferguson July 29, 1902 815,982 Schubert et a1 Mar. 27, 1906 References Cited 1n the file 0i th1s patent 1,735,937 shafier June 10 1924 UNITED STATES PALENTS 5 1,587,102 Wrighton June 1, 1926 622,307 Wilson Apr. 4, 1899 ,932,011 Michel Nov. 27, 1934 670,533 Byrd Mar. 26, 1901 2,485,324 sheldri k Oct. 18, 1949 

